Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spontaneous abortion in spouses of greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore the association between exposure to specific pesticides (including endocrine disrupters) of greenhouse workers and spontaneous abortion in their spouses.

Methods

A group of exposed workers was compared with a non-exposed group. The risk of spontaneous abortion was evaluated using a logistic regression model.

Results

A significantly higher rate of spontaneous abortion was observed among spouses of workers exposed to specific compounds (atrazine, benomyl-carbendazim, carbaryl and DDT) in comparison with spouses of the unexposed group. The logistic regression model confirmed the increased risk of spontaneous abortion (OR=11.8; 95% CI 2.3–59.6).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that occupational exposure to pesticides might have an adverse effect on the partner’s reproductive health.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Petrelli G, Mantovani A. Environmental risk factors and male fertility and reproduction. Contraception 2002; 65: 297–300.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Pant N, Srivastava SC, Prasad AK, Shankar R, Srivastava SP. Effects of carbaryl on the rat’s male reproductive system. Vet Hum Toxicol 1995; 37: 421–425.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Traina ME, Rescia M, Urbani E, Mantovani A, Macri C, Ricciardi C, Stazi AV, Fazzi P, Cordelli E, Eleuteri P, Leter G. Spano M. Long-lasting effects of lindane on mouse spermatogenesis induced by in utero exposure. Reprod. Toxicol. 2003; 17: 25–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. World Health Organization. Carbendazim. Environmental Health Criteria, 149. Geneva: WHO, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Mantovani A. Hazard identification and risk assessment of endocrine disrupting chemicals with regard to developmental effects. Toxicology 2002; 181–182: 367–370.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mantovani A, Stazi AV, Maranghi F, Macri, C, Ricciardi C, Problems in testing and risk assessment of endocrine disrupting chemicals with regard to developmental toxicology. Chemosphere 1999; 39: 1293–1300.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Turusov V, Rakitsky V, Tomatis L. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT): ubiquity, persistence, and risks. Environ. Health Perspect. 2002; 110: 125–128.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Joffe M. Are problems with male reproductive health caused by endocrine disruption? Occup. Environ. Med. 2001; 58(4): 281–287.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Whorton MD, Krauss RM, Marshall S, Milby TH. Infertility in male pesticide workers. Lancet 1977; 2: 1259–1261.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. DeCock J, Westveer K, Heederik D, De Velde E, van Kooij R. Time to pregnancy and occupational expsoure to pesticides in fruit growers in The Netherlands. Occup. Environ. Med. 1994; 51(10): 693–699.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Petrelli G, Figà-Talamanca I. Reduction in fertility in male greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides. Eur. J. Epidemiol. 2001; 17: 675–677.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Arbuckle TE, Lin Z, Mery LS. An exploratory analysis of the effect of pesticide exposure on the risk of spontaneous abortion in an Ontario farm population. Environ. Health Perspect. 2001; 109(8): 851–857.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hoyer PB. Reproductive toxicology: current and future directions. Biochem. Pharmacol. 2001; 62(12): 1557–1564.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hales BF, Robaire B. Paternal exposure to drugs and environmental chemicals: effects on progeny outcome. J. Androl. 2001; 22(6): 927–936.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Stoker TE, Laws SC, Guidici DL, Cooper RL. The effect of atrazine on puberty in male wistar rats: an evaluation in the protocol for the assessment of pubertal development and thyroid function. Toxicol. Sci. 2000; 58(1): 50–59.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Korrick SA, Chen C, Damokosh AI, Ni J, Liu X, Cho SI, Altshul L, Ryan L, Xu X. Association of DDT with spontaneous abortion: a case-control study. An. Epidemiol. 2001; 11(7): 491–496.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hess RA. Effects of environmental toxicants on the efferent ducts, epididymis and fertility. J. Reprod. Fertil. Suppl 1998; 53: 247–259.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Gandley R, Anderson L, Silbergeld EK. Lead: male-mediated effects on reproduction and development in the rat. Environ. Res. 1999; 80(4): 355–363.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Anderson D, Dobrzynska MM, Basaran N. Effect of various genotoxins and reproductive toxins in human lymphocytes and sperm in the Comet assay. Teratog. Carcinog. Mutagen. 1997; 17(1): 29–43.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Rupa DS, Reddy PP, Reddi OS. Reproductive performance in population exposed to pesticides in cotton fields in India. Environ. Res. 1991; 55(2): 123–128.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Parròn T, Hernandez AF, Pla A, Villanueva E. Clinical and biochemical changes in greenhouse sprayers chronically exposed to pesticides. Hum. Exp. Toxicol. 1996; 15: 957–963.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Savitz D, Arbukle T, Kaczor D, Curtis KM. Male pesticide exposure and pregnancy outcome. Am. J. Epidemiol. 1997; 146: 1025–1036.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Arbuckle TE, Savitz DA, Mery LS, Curtis KM. Exposure to phenoxy Herbicides and the risk of spontaneous abortion. Epidemiology 1999; 10: 752–760.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Osborn JF, Cattaruzza MS, Spinelli A. Risk of spontaneous abortion in Italy, 1978–1995, and the effect of maternal age, gravidity, marital status, and education. Am. J. Epidemiol. 2000; 151: 98–105.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio di Epidemiologia e Biostatistica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy

    Grazia Petrelli & Laura Lauria

  2. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Università “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy

    Irene Figà-Talamanca

  3. Laboratorio di Tossicologia Comparata ed Ecotossicologia, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy

    Alberto Mantovani

Authors
  1. Grazia Petrelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Irene Figà-Talamanca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Laura Lauria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alberto Mantovani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura Lauria.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Petrelli, G., Figà-Talamanca, I., Lauria, L. et al. Spontaneous abortion in spouses of greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides. Environ Health Prev Med 8, 77–81 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02897919

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02897919

Key words

Search

Navigation